to literature, for people to barge in, without apology, thus breaking
the mood and the flow of the story. How refreshing it would4. Create a listening environment.
The teacher who wants children to be good listeners considers possible sources of distraction and strives to eliminate
or at least minimize them. When standardized tests are being administered, "Do Not
Disturb!" signs appear on every door and the school hallways are very
quiet. Yet it is common, when children
are listening appreciatively
be to
see a sign that read: "Please do not disturb. Story-sharing session in
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progress." In an environment where literature is valued as much as
test scores, such signs would be commonp/ ce.
Other ways for teachers to Le lp set the stage for good listening are
to make it clear when one activity is over and
another is about to begin, to introduce activities in an interesting way, and to use flexible
seating arrangements (Funk and Funk 1989). Creating a listening environment should be a daily goal rather than an occasional one.